Jaguar Land Rover to build new electric cars in the UK

The Midlands car giant says the a decision safeguards thousands of jobs at the site and in the supply chain

The new models will be build in the West Midlands, protecting the livelihoods of thousands of British car workers

Jaguar Land Rover is to build a range of electric cars in the UK, safeguarding thousands of jobs and delivering a huge boost to the industry after a series of setbacks in recent months.

Investment will be made at the firm’s factory in Castle Bromwich, West Midlands, with other sites and supply companies benefitting from the development.

Jaguar Land Rover says the first electric vehicle to be produced at the Birmingham factory would be Jaguar’s flagship saloon, the XJ.

An all-electric version of the Jaguar XJ sedan replacement will be the first new battery-powered vehicle, followed by others including a sports utility vehicle (SUV), it is believed.

“The future of mobility is electric and, as a visionary British company, we are committed to making our next generation of zero-emission vehicles in the UK,” said Prof Ralf Speth, JLR’s chief executive.

“Given where it is in its product lifecycle it [JLR] has to make this decision. The capacity is at Castle Bromwich and there’s research and development nearby as well, so they’ve basically run out of time on this decision,” David Bailey, a professor of business economics at Birmingham Business School, told the BBC.

Batteries for the new electric XJ are expected to be made in Hams Hall, Warwickshire, while the electric motors will probably be manufactured at JLR’s engine plant near Wolverhampton.

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